The Pocono Mountains golf cooperative – featuring everything from classic designs by legendary architects like Donald Ross or A.W. Tillinghast to modern gems by Jack Nicklaus and today’s top designers – offers a variety of midweek playing options.

Midweek specials and off-peak tee times equate to substantial savings – often in excess of 25 percent. Whether golfers are looking for 18- or 36-hole daily specials, or want to add overnight resort accommodations, the Pocono Mountains are the ideal place to relax and reconnect.

“The Pocono Mountains are truly blessed with exceptional resorts and golf courses set in some of the most beautiful scenery you’ll ever experience,” says Carl Wilgus, president and CEO of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau. “While the weekends remain popular with many visitors, by planning a midweek trip to the Pocono Mountains, golfers can avoid the usual weekend traffic and unwind with a relaxing round."

The Pocono Mountains have something for everyone, from championship layouts to test the skills of low handicappers to affordable, player-friendly courses that welcome every member of the family. Midweek packages range from 18 holes, dinner and a night’s stay to unlimited golf and free lessons.

Off the golf course, the four-county region offers fine dining, luxurious spas, historical site seeing, boating and miles of hiking and biking trails – all in a lush, mountain setting.

Work less and play more as the Pocono Mountains recently introduced Work Relief, www.workrelief.com. The interactive Web site provides convenient links to midweek specials and a toolkit to find out what “medical condition” has been ailing you lately. Print it out, hand it to your boss and head to the Pocono Mountains.

About the “Pocono Mountains: Discover Golf’s Great Destination Secret”The Pocono Mountains has long been known to avid travelers and mountain aficionados for its lush, relaxing family friendly ambiance and romantic setting, as well as its fall foliage, winter skiing, spring-summer outdoor recreation options and natural beauty. Numerous lakes, parks and other environmental wonderlands are found throughout the four-county Pocono Mountains region.

Discerning golfers are well aware that the Pocono Mountains are home to golf courses designed by renowned architects such as Donald Ross and A.W. Tillinghast. Pocono Mountains golf properties and value-laden golf packages are available on www.poconosgolf.com, which allows players to enjoy majestic mountain-view scenery, the area’s natural splendor, year-round amenities and unequaled value and variety.

Attributes of the golf-and-resort properties and destination include:Home to hundreds of golf holes at numerous clubs, many located close to one another:Two NASCAR races held annually each spring-summerGolden Era of Golf Architecture period designs strongly represented by legendary designers Donald Ross and A.W. TillinghastGolf, lodging and resort accommodations at all price points, from luxury to valueHiking, biking, camping, spas, horseback riding, boating, fishing, hunting and many other activitiesAttractions, festivals and other special eventsMeeting and conference facilitiesGreat food at a wide array of eating establishments and resort restaurantsBed & breakfasts, country inns and resortsAntique shops, outlet malls and other unique shopping venues

Saturday, July 12, 2008

(HARRIS, Michigan) – Following years of design and development, the much-anticipated Sweetgrass Golf Club – the newest amenity at the Island Resort & Casino – has been unveiled along the rolling, windswept hills of the Upper Peninsula.

Owned and operated by the Hannahville Band of the Potawatomi Nation, a blessing highlighted the opening ceremony, which also included recognition to all involved with the development and a traditional lighting of the flame that sits next to the 10th tee. Known as the Keepers of the Fire, the Firekeeper will be honored by a flame on cool mornings – one of many subtle and indirect references to their proud history to be found on this championship layout.

Designer Paul Albanese honored Tribal legend throughout the process. An island green, which fit within the parameters of the land and jibed with the resort’s name, pays homage to the turtle – a creature Indian legend holds in high esteem for its longevity and wisdom.

Wispy native grasses wave in the breeze at Sweetgrass and sand bunkers and water hazards are strategically positioned to defend the course. Historic bridges “rescued” from around the region and beautifully crafted rockwork lend a unique look and feel to the design.

The course stretches to 7,300 yards from the tips, promising to challenge the best golfers, while the beginner-friendly forward tees measure a modest 5,000 yards. In all, five sets of tees accommodate golfers of all levels.

“Sweetgrass Golf Club is truly a unique experience and we’re extremely proud to introduce the course to our guests here at the Island Resort & Casino,” says General Manager Tom McChesney. “Paul Albanese and his team did amazing work and the finished product is not only beautiful, but also a true test of golf.”

In addition to an island green, Biarritz and Redan greens await golfers and fans of golf course architecture alike. Sweetgrass also features a pair of majestic waterfalls splitting the fairways of the ninth and 18th holes, which culminate on a massive shared green – measuring nearly 22,000 sq. ft.

Golfers can be among the first to enjoy Sweetgrass Golf Club via the Perfect 4-Some, which starts at $229 and includes three rounds of championship golf and two nights at the Island Resort & Casino. This value-laden package allows golfers the opportunity to play nearby Greywalls and TimberStone golf clubs, as well.

Off the golf course, the resort recently introduced the luxurious Palm Tower that adds 162 spacious, well-appointed rooms and luxurious penthouse suites to the existing Sun Tower’s 113 rooms. Additionally, the Island Showroom hosts national acts, Club Four One nightclub and the Beachcomber Restaurant & Bar welcome guests looking to dine or quench their thirst, and the Vegas-style gaming floor was expanded with an additional 500 slot machines.

Located in the unspoiled beauty of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Sweetgrass Golf Club is easily accessible via a pair of regional airports in Escanaba and Marquette.